Ohio State Reportedly Set To Host Rising SEC Squad in New Non-Conference Home Series

The Buckeyes have added an SEC school to their non-conference schedule.

Mar 19, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes Jake Diebler reacts in the first half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Ohio State won't play a basketball game until November, but it's finalizing its non-conference schedule.

The Field of 68's Rocco Miller reported on Friday night that the Buckeyes have scheduled a home-and-home series with Vanderbilt.

Ohio State will host Vanderbilt on Nov. 24 and then head to Nashville to take on the Commodores in 2027.

NEWS: Ohio State and Vanderbilt are finalizing an agreement to meet in a multi-year series beginning this season in Columbus, per multiple sources.

The Commodores are slated to face the Buckeyes on Tuesday, November 24th.#B1G #SEC pic.twitter.com/WMgyRxTwK7

— Rocco Miller (@RoccoMiller8) June 12, 2026

Ohio State is getting big names on its non-conference 2026 schedule

The best time for college basketball teams to play big-time opponents is in the first two months of the season, before conference play begins in early January. Ohio State is doing its part in scheduling tough competition.

The Buckeyes are taking on BYU, Kansas, Notre Dame, UConn and now Vanderbilt. Head coach Jake Diebler spoke on playing on the biggest stage this season.

“Our program belongs on the biggest stage, and to do that, you got to play other programs who are on that stage,” Diebler said, on June 1, via Eleven Warriors Josh Poloha.  “And I think you got to get ready for Big Ten play. There's no doubt about it. That's the bulk of your schedule. And if you roll into Big Ten play without challenging and pushing yourself and facing some adversity early, you're not setting your team up to be successful. So we wanted to be aggressive in scheduling.”

Scheduling major teams early is crucial for the Buckeyes. Unlike in college football, tough basketball losses can be beneficial, allowing the team to evaluate its strength as it heads into January through March.

The Big Ten is a tough basketball conference, recently sending Illinois and Michigan to the Final Four, with Michigan winning it all. Ohio State needs to compete with these schools and learn how to play tough teams in the non-conference, which can go a long way in doing that.

If Ohio State wants to play with the best teams in the country in March, getting big-time games out of the way in November and December can help.

Ohio State facing Vanderbilt is beneficial. Last season, the Commodores had a strong 27-9 record and reached the second round of the NCAA tournament, where they lost to Nebraska.

Diebler served as an assistant coach at Vanderbilt from 2016 to 2019 before returning to Ohio State. It will be interesting to see how Ohio State manages its non-conference schedule this season and the progress made in Diebler’s third year as head coach.